Young James and the Episode Aboard the Hogwarts Express
by DestinyKakeru
Summary: An oneshot/chapter excerpt for my pending 'James S. Potter' fanfic, specifically for submission to the Fluffy Puffy Quill writing forum Fall Contest only.


**Typed out this in less than three hours rushing to submit this for the FPQ forum contest in time, so be warned that I didn't proofread this — there may be some minor mistakes here and there that I've missed.**

* * *

The morning of September the First opened with the Potter household in a chaotic chorus of banging doors, screaming kids and flying cutlery. Even James wasn't spared from the din — he was mercilessly woken up from his sweet Quidditch dream by his younger siblings, who threw themselves on top of him and were trying to crush him in his quilt blanket. He kicked them out of his room and surveyed the mess he had piled up over the summer: crumpled parchments and broken quills littered around the wooden floor mixed with muggle papers and ballpoint pens; it was the umpteenth time he had broken his cartoon lion alarm clock; his trunk was still not packed at lay open at the foot of his bed; his new school robes were tangled in a heap with his dirty clothes…

He couldn't help but let out an annoyed groan. His mother would probably love to take this opportunity to strip his room bare together with Kreacher. He sighed and dumped the trash into the enchanted bin, which choked angrily when he threw his muggle textbooks rather violently into it. He didn't care — he was very glad that he wouldn't have to see those boring teachers ever again. He was certain that his first day at Hogwarts would be a blast just like the stories he heard from his parents and older relatives.

"James!" He was startled by Ginny's voice just outside his door. "Breakfast is ready, so hurry up!" He picked out his school supplies that were scattered everywhere in his room and chucked them into the trunk before he finally slammed down the lid and dragged it down the stairs. The smell of bacon filled his nose and his stomach growled loudly, which sent Albus and Lily into a giggling fit.

"James," Ginny looked up after she set down the plate of scrambled eggs on the dining table. "Why are you still in your pyjamas?"

"Jamsie going to school in ugly pyjamas!" Albus chanted, a sign that he was attempting to taunt him, and the older brother rolled his eyes — that little guy was probably trying to get back at him for the time that James sent him screaming for mummy when he dropped a wriggling millipede down the inside of the back of his shirt. "Shut up, midget."

"James." Ginny narrowed her brown eyes at him. "Sit down and eat quickly. We're running late."

"Sorry mom."

They finished their food quietly but not without a silent kicking match under the table, which James won and made Albus falling off his seat. He then received a whack on the back of his head and a hex threat from his mother before he changed into a plain white shirt, a pair of faded jeans and his new sneakers. His father, Harry, finally arrived to fetch them and bring them to King's Cross station, but they were suddenly told that they would be travelling by the Knight Bus, which received angry chirps from Albus and Lily, who were expecting a Ministry car.

James suddenly wished that he hadn't gobble down half a plate of sausages during breakfast just now.

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When the Potters finally wobbled out of the Knight Bus, it was already three minutes to eleven. Harry dumped James' trunk onto a nearby trolley and they marched quickly towards the pillar between platforms nine and ten with the hidden gantry that would lead to platform nine-and-three-quarters. James dashed towards the solid-looking brick wall with his father and the trolley before appearing on the other side, with a gleaming red-and-black Hogwarts Express right before the young boy's shining eyes.

The train conductor blew his whistle and the crowd on the platform began to thin out as the students climbed onto the train and closed the doors. They waved goodbye at their family from the windows, and the Hogwarts Express began to move, slowly picking up speed.

James began to panic — he was too awed at the sight of the Hogwarts Express that he had forgotten to board the train, so he was still stuck on the platform. He began to run alongside the train, his right arm outstretched, trying to grab for the door…

"Here!" Someone suddenly threw that very door open — it was a boy of his age with strange purple hair and amber eyes. He caught James' hand and yelled, "Jump! Now!"

James leaped and fell on top of the boy, then they were both slammed against the side under the window when the train went around the corner. "Ow, ow, ow…"

"That was close," the purple-head said, rubbing his bruised elbow. "Dude, why're ya still on the platform?" James raised his eyebrow at the hint of American accent in the boy's tone but said nothing. He simply shrugged. "Thanks. Let's go find a compartment."

"Yeah, but we probably have to share with someone. Seems like all of 'em are already occupied. Anyway name's Rider Stryke. You?"

"James Potter." He expected the purple-head to make a reaction at the sound of the surname, but the boy merely nodded. _He must be a muggle — an American exchange student, maybe? _With globalisation, having international students in the schools here is a trend nowadays, or at least that was what James had observed in the muggle academy where he had been at before Hogwarts.

"Nice to meet'cha, James."

As they walked down the corridor, they bumped into a pretty Asian who was nodding off on his/her own trunk. Rider simply dragged the brunette along without a word and they continued on, before they finally stopped at the last compartment. James peered into the compartment window and only saw a black-haired boy alone with his face hidden behind a thick volume. "This one will do," he said and pulled open the door. The boy lowered his book and stared at them with his deep, dark eyes.

James gestured to the empty seats, then at Rider with the sleeping Asian. "You mind?"

"…" After a full minute, the bookworm raised his book and was hidden behind the large faded cover once more.

"I'll take that as yes." He helped Rider to carry the Asian in before he settled down in his seat. He spotted something written on the cover of the book in cursive writing — _Raven Will_ — and deduced that it must be the bookworm's name. James finally realised how tired he was — from the mayhem back at home to the little episode where he nearly missed the train. He was about to close his eyes when a deafening bang made him jump onto his feet and turned to the source of the noise.

The compartment door was pulled open to allow the plump figure of Miles Bustrode filling up the frame, leaving only a very narrow space to show a bit of his two slaves behind him. James bit down his lower lip to force down his urge to laugh out loud at this absurd scene.

"Ah, the little boy of the famous Harry Potter," Miles drawled. The crones behind him sniggered. "Going to crack your head open on the wall and there, a lightning bolt-shaped scar that will lead you to eternal fame like your dear daddy, eh?"

James glared at the beefy bully. "Seriously Miles, that's just so lame that a million facepalms aren't enough to cover that fact."

The round face of pure-blood boy began to redden. "You little—"

"James' right, pork bun." Rider stood beside James and glowered up at Miles. Before the purple-head could open his mouth again, the bully suddenly lunged at them with his big, meaty hands and lifted them off the ground by the front of their shirt.

"_What did you just call me?_"

"Porky…bun…" Rider choked out jeeringly, and Miles tightened his grip on the American boy. James tried to reach for the wand in his back pocket, but his mind was completely blank — he then regretted for being lazy and not bothering to browse through the spell books even once…

"_…Expelliarmus._"

Miles released Rider and his right hand was jerked into the air. The purple-head stepped back quickly, his back pressed against the window. Raven had stood up with his wand pointing at the pure-blood, his pale face emotionless.

James saw the fire in Miles' eyes and he shuddered. _That guy is losing control of himself._ A part of him wanted to taunt at Miles' short fuse, but he was alarmed when the bully grabbed his neck with both hands. _Is he trying to kill me?_

Suddenly, there was a blur of movement from the corner of his eye and James was dropped onto the floor, breathing heavily from the shock. He looked up to see the Asian outside the compartment, who leaped into the air and gave Miles a flying kick in the face. Together with Rider, they dashed out to see the bully lying on the ground with a broken nose. The Asian simply scratched the back of his head with a sleepy look and murmured something that James recognised as Japanese before he slumped back onto the seat and began to snore.

Miles' sidekicks pulled the fat boy up with difficulty; the bully gave James an evil look before the trio disappeared down the corridor. James shut the compartment door and poked the Asian boy. "Hey."

"…Mhmm?"

"That kick just now was so cool."

"Oh, that." He rubbed his eyes and sat up. "I've got a black belt in karate."

"Whoa, black—?"

"Ah, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Miyu Kisaragi," he grinned at everyone in the compartment. "Thanks for letting me to be with you guys."

"Right. Anyway, I've been wondering…" Rider began as he moved closer to Miyu. "Why the hell are you sleeping along the corridor when we found ya?"

Miyu shrugged. "You know the compartment where I was sleeping outside at? Those senior girls were debating about whether I'm a girl or not."

"Well, we also kinda thought that you're a girl… But seriously?"

The Japanese boy laughed. "I'm already used to it. I can't help looking like this anyway. I guess we can just…talk? Since I can't go back to sleep anymore."

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Story © destiny(kakeru). _Harry Potter_ series © J.K. Rowling.


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